(i) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a compressor used to compress a refrigerant for, for example, a vehicular air conditioner.
(ii) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a compressor of this type includes a compressor body, a compression section for compressing a refrigerant sucked into the compressor body, a separation chamber for separating a lubricating oil, which is contained in the refrigerant discharged from the compression section, from the refrigerant, and an oil storage chamber for receiving the separated lubricating oil and supplying the lubricating oil to the refrigerant suction side of the compression section. Thereby, the refrigerant compressed together with the lubricating oil in the compression section in the compressor body is separated into refrigerant and lubricating oil in the separation chamber, the lubricating oil is stored in the oil storage chamber, and the refrigerant is discharged to the outside of the compressor body.
However, in the conventional compressor, the separated lubricating oil is discharged vertically toward the oil surface of lubricating oil in the oil storage chamber through an introduction hole provided in the lower surface of the separation chamber. Therefore, the lubricating oil in the oil storage chamber is agitated by the force of the discharged lubricating oil, by which the refrigerant turns to air bubbles and is supplied to the refrigerant suction side of the compression section, which may result in a decrease in efficiency of compressor.